A different Halloween this year in Cape Girardeau County

In Cape Girardeau County, Halloween will likely look different this year from in previous years.

While the Cape Girardeau and Jackson city governments do not regulate trick-or-treating, the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center released guidance for increased safety on and around Oct. 31.

The county health department recommends activities such as watching scary movies online with friends, holding a socially-distanced costume parade, or creating a Halloween candy hunt, rather than traditional Halloween activities such as trick-or-treating or going to parties, as the latter can increase chances of catching and spreading COVID-19.

Jackson city government posted to Facebook on Monday asking everyone to use safe judgment on when and where to trick-or-treat.

“Other than providing more police patrols, the city has no further involvement,” the post stated.

Halloween events in Jackson sponsored by civic organizations, such as Trunk-or-Treat and Halloween Town in the City Park, and the Halloween Dance at the Civic Center, are not planned for this year, according to the post.

Some events are planned in Cape Girardeau for later this month, including the Parks and Recreation Department’s Halloween Hoopla from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 23 at the Shawnee Park Center, 835 S. West End Blvd. and Southeast Missouri State University’s River Campus’ Crisp Museum will hold Halloween at the Museum on Oct. 24, 25 and 31. Details on these and a Boo-tiful Park event in Ranney Park, planned by the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, will be included in a future TGI“F” section.

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